Hard being around you
by GamblingDementor
Summary: Varrick has a hard time controlling his body around Zhu Li. Five times she ignored it and one time she didn't.
1. Chapter 1

The tea is hot and steaming in the two cups Zhu Li had just served. It was late in the afternoon. The sun was giving its pinkish light in the southern sky, reflected by the snow. There was no sound to be heard. Varrick's vacation villa in the Water Tribe was quiet, ideal for contemplation or introspection. Surrounded by the soft halo of the winter sun, Varrick was lying on his exterior lounge sofa in the patio, completely relaxed.  
"Your tea, Sir."  
He took the cup she handed him and began sipping it. Warmth spread through his body anew. He had been testing his new Varrisuits, made for the tundra, by taking a nap outside. The suits were not made for lazy people, it seemed, for he was cold when he had woken up after not moving for so long. Fortunately, Zhu Li had been there with a hot cup of tea, as always.  
"This is really good tea, Zhu Li!"  
No reply came. Zhu Li had always known the worth of words and how to spare them. A quality he certainly did not share.

"I think I'll pass on the tick checking tonight, Zhu Li."  
"As you wish, Sir."  
"It's too cold for those nasty critters anyway. I'll just do my Varrick calisthenics out here."  
He glanced at her. Standing against the wall, she was completely stern, as always. Sometimes, he wished she would smile and laugh with him, admire him. But he did not pay _her_ for that.

Standing up was far from easy in his lumpy suit, but he managed to do it not too ridiculously. Not that Zhu Li would mock him. He bent his knee, put his foot on the sofa and began his flexions. Many things could be said about him, but not that he did not work out as much as his busy life allowed him to.

Soon his body warmed up in the toundra cold where he had had his house built. He should probably sell the Varrisuits to hard workers. Ice gatherers, perhaps, or hunters. What he wouldn't have given to have such a comfy suit when he went on hunting trips with his father as a child.

Maybe he should do his Varrick calisthenics outside more often. It reminded him that his life was so much better than it used to. With a smile on his face he kept going. He was happy now. He was rich, he had several big houses, all the money he could want. He had the best assistant in the world, who was currently staring at the scenery peacefully. Zhu Li had the ability to observe quietly, something he lacked. He could never be as good as her at keeping silent and watching over the situation she was in.

His heart was pumping fast and strong now, making him feel ten times more _alive_ than before. It took him a while to notice but once he did notice he felt horribly ashamed − something he rarely ever felt. It seemed that the blood was rushing in _all_ parts of his body, one in particular. _I can't let Zhu Li see this_, he thought. _She'll think I'm some sort of deviant getting off exercise._

He turned his back to her and went on with his calisthenics, but that did not help in the least. On the contrary, exercising seemed to make his blood flow and the more he bent and rose again, the harder he seemed to get. _Why_? He hadn't had awkward boners in years. He was a man in his thirties, not some teenager who barely discovered his body! He should have more control than this.

Once he was done with his work-out, he sat on his couch, still not facing Zhu Li, and began his daily breath holding. Ten seconds breath holding. He could not focus with a raging erection such as the one he harboured. Thank the spirits Zhu Li was not seeing it. He was turning his back to her, but even without that, his Varrisuit was thick enough to conceal it. Twenty seconds breath holding. Thirty seconds breath holding. He was beginning to calm down. Fourty seconds breath holding. _Now, _you _calm down, little Varrick. _Fifty seconds breath holding. He hoped it would not happen again the next time he did his calisthenics. Every day frustration was not something he could bear. Sixty seconds breath holding.

He took a big breath and started counting again. After ten times one minute breath holding, his troubles were forgotten.


	2. Chapter 2

Before getting inside Ping Ping, Varrick had thought getting inside Ping Ping would be the hardest part. Then he thought it would be keeping silent. Then walking around. But in the end, he realized that the hardest part of being inside a platypus bear was to share it with Zhu Li. Not so much that she bothered him, not at all. Well, she _did_ forget the honey in his tea, but really, anyone made mistakes. No, the problem was the lack of space. Specifically, the fact that Zhu Li was right against him, their bodies as close to one another as could be. It was warm, it was comfortable, and it was far too arousing for anyone's own good.

It had all begun when he had asked Zhu Li to slip inside Ping Ping with him. She had looked at him with those narrowed eyes she did so well, the ones she gave him when she wanted to tell him he was completely crazy and she would never do such a thing if she had any choice, but did it because he asked it of her. Zhu Li getting in was filled with countless "Excuse me", "Sorry", "You're hurting me, Sir" and "It won't fit". In the end, they had managed to find a position that was not too painful for either of them, that allowed Zhu Li to breathe and that was actually rather comfortable.

Too comfortable. When they had started walking around, he had quickly noticed that with each step, their bodies rubbed against one another, which in their position meant that her backside was rubbing against his crotch and it was making him crazy. At first, he had suspected that it might be on purpose, but he knew Zhu Li would never do that. His assistant was the most professional person he knew. No, this situation was all due to his own dirty mind, his wanton reactions to innocent physical contact. He was hard, had been hard for a long time, possibly hours, and could do absolutely nothing about it.

He had never thought _Zhu Li_ would make him have dirty thoughts, of all people. But as time passed, he was beginning to lose control over his mind. His inner Varrick was elaborating scenarios of all sorts of physical contact he might have with his assistant, crazy situations they might find themselves in. Somehow all of them ended with her completely naked, with her hair dishevelled and an expression of pure desire on her face. How different it would be from her impassible self. _Stop this_, he told himself. _Zhu Li has done absolutely nothing of the sort. _Was she embarrassed or afraid right now? As much as he tried to keep his erection from touching her, the lack of space did not allow it, lest he would not even need to hide it in the first place. _You've gone rabid, my poor old Varrick. As spurred as a green boy before his first time at every touch. The quicker we're out of this platypus bear, the better. _

When finally they dragged themselves out of the animal, it was with great difficulty and with a lot of touching bodies. Fortunately, he was wearing his baggy light blue trousers and could hide his shame. He wasn't one to be easily ashamed of his body and reactions, but that did not mean that he wanted the Avatar and her friends to see him all worked up with his assistant. All he could pray for was that Zhu Li either hadn't noticed, though after hours in the same suit, he had little hope of that, or that she would never mention it. He certainly wouldn't. What happened in the platypus bear would stay in the platypus bear.


	3. Chapter 3

Truly, the prison cell was just as comfortable as Varrick had thought it would be when he had it built. The decoration was pleasant to the eye and its style reminded him of his dear mansion in Republic City. It was cleaned daily and smelled of the fresh flowers they kept giving him. There was a bathroom in a separate room that gave them all the privacy needed. The bed was soft and cozy and had all the fluffy blankets and pillows he could have hoped for. The problem was that there was only one.

Now, Varrick had shared a bed before. With his parents as a child when they were too poor to give him one of his own, with lovers later in his life, even with Zhu Li more than a few times. But never had he thought the two latter categories would be blurred in his mind. Not that Zhu Li had given him any reason to think of it as more than a sleeping arrangement due to the lack of space, not at all. Their situation was very clear cut: he was her employer, she was his assistant. Neither had ever done anything to suggest there was ever to be something more. They was only one bed so they had to share it, but that was it. Nothing unprofessional. Well, he did get to see her in a very modest long purple flowery nightgown, but that was nothing he had never seen before. It wasn't too rarely that he ventured into her room at night when he needed her for one thing or another.

What had never happened before was the dreams. Never once before, in years of knowing her. But it was the fourth one this week and Varrick was beginning to feel extremely upset, to the point that he was becoming slightly unpleasant with her throughout the day, though she had done nothing to deserve it. The Zhu Li in his dreams was not the one in real life, that was sure. She was giggling and blushing and so very arousing, with her red lips and wild untied hair. In his dreams, she was hers and they had come together a dozen times. In his dreams, they were lovers. He was avoiding her eyes as much as he could now. How could he look at her making some tea when in his dreams, they had rolled under that very table where the teapot was and she had ridden him, as wild as a tiger and loud as a seal. How could he look at her reading a book on a chair when in his dream, he'd been sitting on that chair and she had done delicious things to him with her mouth. Basically, how could he look at her living a perfectly normal life (as normal as it could be in prison) when in his dreams, they had wild crazy sex over and over and over.

His theory was that the bed was cursed. That wasn't something he was about to rule out. Who knew. He had never slept in this bed before, and he had also never had sex dreams about her before. There had to be a correlation now that both were happening all of a sudden.

In any case, it was well past midnight, Zhu Li was fast asleep and Varrick had just woken up from the arousing dream he had had so far. Zhu Li had been on top, her hair a glorious untied mess, as it never was in real life, her breasts soft in his hands, and the curves of her body had been luscious. She had been entirely more alluring than he had ever thought her to be, than she had ever been in his presence. He was wide awake now, had woken up just when he was about to climax in the dream, and he had been deprived of the release in slumber and in waking. He was hard as rock and could do nothing about it.

He did not _want _to do anything about it, not really. Taking charge of it would mean he was accepting the dreams, allowing them to exist. He would forever live with the knowledge that he had masturbated to thoughts of his assistant. He could not, would not. Such things were simply too distasteful. And yet… He could not say he was not tempted. He tried to calm himself with the thought that he had absolutely no idea what Zhu Li was like in bed. Well, not just _in bed_, he had had her in his bed for quite a while now, more like how she was as far as intimacy was concerned. He had trouble picturing her as the untamed beauty of his dreams.

Even if he had wanted to find release, there was no way to do it. He was with her in this prison cell, she never left his side. He could not do it in the bed, of course. That would require him to at least hide under the blankets, they weren't the only inmates after all, and he did not want to share his self pleasure with everyone. And if he hid under the blankets, not only might that wake Zhu Li but it would also make a mess that he would not be able to explain. And he did not trust himself to be silent anyway. In fact, it was a miracle in and of itself that he had not moaned or cried out in his slumber and woken her up. He could not go to the bathroom to take care of the problem for the exact same reason. What would he say if he woke her up in the middle of the night because he was pleasuring himself in the bathroom? He could not take a cold shower, that would be too loud as well, and quite possibly very obvious to his condition. Men did not take showers in the middle of the night for no reason, even men like Varrick.

No, definitely, there was nothing to do but wait for it to go away. And if past experience could be trusted, that could last very long. Possibly until morning, until he could take a cold shower without being suspicious. That would finally calm him down.

He had never wanted to be in prison in the first place, even though he knew it would probably happen at some point, but the dreams made him wish to escape above all things. At this rate, he was so much like a teenager that it would not surprise him at all if in the morning he saw acne on his face and if he lost a few inches height somehow. In the end, he ended up falling back asleep despite the lust filling his thoughts. And he did not dream of Zhu Li again that night.


	4. Chapter 4

It had all been a terrible idea. Varrick had no clue what drove him into it all in the first place. Had he known what would happen, he would have stayed tucked in his bed that morning. He wouldn't have come for breakfast, wouldn't have chatted with Suyin and _definitely_ wouldn't have followed her advice to try to relieve stress and find a way to sleep better. No, he would have asked Zhu Li for breakfast and stayed in bed. No, wait. Not Zhu Li. He would have stayed in bed and not eaten and not come out of his bedroom at all, if only he had known.

But he hadn't known. He had been a fool, had listened to Suyin. Why would he even mention that he had trouble sleeping anyway? But he had, and there he was now at the acupuncturist, wishing he had never been born.

For he had experienced the exact same problem in Zaofu that he had had for quite some time now, ever since he went to prison, namely losing any sort of control over his body at night, when his dreams were filled with the wildest scenarios in the company of his dear assistant. Of course, he couldn't admit that to Suyin. He could barely even admit it to himself. He had simply told her of his sleep deprivation and she had immediately called Guo, claiming that the physician would help him immensely.

Varrick had had his doubts. He had never been one for acupuncture. After all, why would he want to have needles stuck into his body when he could simply ask Zhu Li what was wrong with him and trust her medical knowledge. But the problem was linked to _her_, so he couldn't just go up to her and ask "You know, Zhu Li, I've been having crazy sex dreams about you lately. Would you happen to know what might fix that?" Which is why he had accepted to go see the acupuncturist.

When Varrick had entered the office, followed by Zhu Li as always, and greeted the man, he had not been suspicious at all. Truth be told, it all had seemed like the perfect plan. No need to tell Zhu Li or anyone about the dreams. Guo would simply get his chi thingy in shape and he would not need to say a thing. Because it surely was a matter of chi or acupoints. It just had to be. There was no other reason why he would have such vivid dreams about Zhu Li. And certainly not because of some kind of attraction or crush for her.

He had wanted to run fast and far when the acupuncturist had told him that the needles may awaken some buried feelings. Not that his feelings for Zhu Li were buried very deep. They were barely covered in a thin layer of denial. And indeed, as soon as the needles had touched his acupoints, his mind had been flooded with thoughts of her. He had tried to suppress them as long as he could but it was as if the needles had been stuck right into the walls that held his thoughts together and they were all pouring out of their hidden place in his brain. He could only hope that his mouth would stay shut. Zhu Li was barely paying attention, of course, she was standing against the wall on the other side of the room, but still. She might be listening.

"Just try to relax. Let the memories troubling you run through you."

There was no point in trying to stop thinking about her now. Maybe if he let it all flow, he could forget about this ridiculous thoughts and go on with his life? He was hard already anyway, there was no denying it.

Zhu Li and him having their way right there, on the acupuncturist table. Her above him, naked and magnificent, with her untied hair in luscious glory. Or under him, responding to his thrust with the beauty and the trust of a long-time lover. Zhu Li in his bed, as in prison, naked as a babe. Uncovering her body little by little, learning every curve and dip. Learning to please her, to make her breathless and gasping, to make her love his mouth, his tongue, his fingers, _himself_. Falling asleep and waking up to her by his side. Pushing a hair strand behind her ear, kissing her, hugging her.

He paused. From lust-filled fantasies, his thoughts had turned into romantic daydreams. It bothered him to no end… yet he loved it. Thinking about hugging, kissing, complimenting, teasing Zhu Li wasn't so much arousing as it was giving him a warm feeling in the chest, a feeling he never wanted to end. Was this what this acupuncture session had unlocked?

He could feel the energy flowing inside him, bringing his thoughts together, helping him understand. How he wished he hadn't come to Guo. Realizing that he might have a… a _crush _on Zhu Li made everything harder. She was his _assistant_. He couldn't − wouldn't let his feelings show, lest she would leave him and hate him forever. And he could never replace such a great assistant, such a great partner. The longer the needles remained in his body, the better he understood the sad reality. He was attracted to Zhu Li. He wanted her, as a man might want a woman but more than that, he actually liked her. Liked _liked _her. He knew nothing could come out of it, never, and hated himself for feeling strange things.

When Guo removed the needles, Varrick slowly opened his eyes and barely nodded when the acupuncturist asked if he felt any better. He left the office as soon as he could, not saying a word. He needed time to think over the fact that he had feelings for his assistant. When he reached his room, he told Zhu Li she could take a break and attend to her own business. What she might do on her free time, he did not know. He had never asked. And he never would. She was his assistant, and that was all she would ever be. He sat down on his armchair to take time for himself, thinking about his newly found love for Zhu Li that would never come to blossom, and a single tear ran down his cheek.


	5. Chapter 5

His breath was ragged when she pulled away to take a look at him. His hair was completely dishevelled, his eyes closed with a dreaming expression. She barely had time enough to take a good look. His hands wrought in her hair and brought her mouth back to his, eager to keep exploring, afraid to let her go even for such a short time. She didn't mind. In fact, she had no intent of ever leaving him again any time soon if he kept treating her as he was right now. His earlier confession resonated through her, wouldn't leave her thoughts, and made her feel like there was nothing they couldn't go through together as long as they kept saying these words to each other over and over. Barely lifting her mouth from his, she whispered them again.  
"I love you."  
He groaned and kissed her harder, animated by an almost savage fierceness. Under her, his hips were rolling, looking for friction, for contact, for _anything_. She would give it to him. She wanted to, just as much as he did. Grinding against him gave her a feeling of power she never thought she would experience with him. No more bossing her around, no more ungrateful demands, no more professional distance between them. He was Varrick now, just Varrick, and he was _hers_.

"You came back," he said breathlessly between kisses.  
"I never truly left."  
His moustache tickled her when he moved his mouth to her neck, kissing all the skin he could reach.  
"I love you so much, Zhu Li…"  
He let out with a moan when she bucked her hips against his on purpose. What a delightful sound to hear. She ground a bit harder. A louder moan. This could get very interesting very soon. The closer she was to him and his body, the more eager he was to kiss her. After a particularly passionate move on her part, he nearly bit her neck and in turn, _she_ was unable to control herself and let out a raspy moan.  
"Varrick…"  
"I'm here for you now," he whispered in his smooth voice and she could feel his hardness against her, right against her through their clothes, and it was all too good. It was so easy to lose herself in his kisses and nibbles. But she was on top, she was still in control.  
"Yes. You're here _for me._"

She broke away from his embrace and sat up on his lap. Pushing on his torso, she made him move backwards till his back was against the headboard. When she made to unbuckle his pants, he gave her one of his devilish grins.  
"Well, well, I didn't know you were so eager!"  
She looked at him pointedly and untied his belt, giving him a little smile.  
"I've waited long enough."  
"I couldn't agree more."  
There was no place in the world she would rather be than sitting on his lap as she was. Nothing could ever come close to the raw happiness she felt as Varrick looked into her eyes with adoration. This what she had wished for all along. His arms wrapped around her, keeping her close, keeping her safe and loved. She wanted this man so much, despite all the wrongs he had done her. He was right against her and made her feel so good, kissing her neck, hugging her as if his life hinged on it, and he was hard against her palm when she slid her hand into his pants to touch him.  
"Zhu Li…" he moaned against her neck.  
As unfamiliar as she was with intimate activities, Zhu Li knew instantly that she could get used to this very quickly. The way he was holding her close, the way he was breathing just a little bit heavier than before, but still managed to make her feel like everything was about her… It was all overwhelming. His mouth was dropping kisses on her neck, his hands had found their way to the skin of her lower back underneath her tunic and gently massaged it, and he was throbbing hard in her hand as she stroked him.  
"Can I…" he began and she squeezed him just a little too tight to hear his breath hitch. "Oh, now you're just toying with me, woman."  
"Am I?" she asked and kissed him.  
His mouth surrendered to her insisting tongue and whatever he had to ask was lost for now. She loved the feel of his lips and tongue against hers. It made her all warm inside. That definitely made her feel appreciated. With her free hand, she tried opening up his tunic, wanting to feel the skin underneath, but it just wouldn't come open.  
"Varrick," she said, breaking the kiss, "take off your shirt."  
"Well I was going to ask you the same thing, but you didn't let me finish!"  
"Poor thing… _Take off your shirt_."  
He looked like he wanted to grumble some frustration but met her eyes as she moved back a little to give him room. She tried to convey how much she wanted him with just a look, biting at her lower lip, and her second hand also wrapped around his length, stroking him, holding him tight. He glanced at her, at her hands, at her again. His cheeks were slightly pink, the cutest colour in the world.

He gave her a cheeky smile and in one quick pull took off his shirt. Zhu Li had seen him shirtless before, more times than she could remember, but somehow, watching him undress just for her, with her hands around his cock, made her feel all aroused and giddy. If she'd had any doubts at all, they would be gone by now.  
"Happy?"  
"Very."  
She had to let go of him just the time needed to hook her thumbs under his waistband and pull his pants and briefs off, and just like that, he was completely naked before her, gorgeous and willing.  
"Now," he said and grabbed her by the hips, "can you return the favour, please?"  
She thought for a second, then nodded. She took his hands in hers and put them on her hips, on the rim of her tunic.  
"Do it. Do the thing."  
He did not have to be asked twice. For a second, she thought he would rip the whole garment off, but he actually took the time to pull it over her head, slow enough to let his hands linger on her revealed body, giving her all sorts of dirty thoughts she would never speak out loud. He threw her tunic away and took a good look at her.  
"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever behold, my sweet," he said after a while.  
She couldn't help but smile and, in a fit of confidence, brought his hands to the waistband of her skirt. Soon skirt, thighs and underwear were gone. She had to admit that she had never really liked being uncovered, but the look in Varrick's eyes made it all worth it. His hands grabbed her hips, bringing her closer, and he whispered against her ear.  
"I don't know what I did to deserve you."  
"Oh," she said and began stroking him again, delighted to see he was even harder than before, "but you don't deserve me."  
He let out a sound that was half a sigh, half a gasp and she could just feel his heart beat.  
"Zhu Li…"  
"I, however, deserve to do _whatever_ I want with you."  
"Mmh, do I like where this is going?"  
She nudged his thighs apart and pushed on his torso to make him lie down. She loved the sight of him exposed, and the look of nervousness in his eyes, and she was half-minded to make him wait, like she had waited for him so many years, but she was far too eager for that.  
"If I do this right, you should."  
She dipped her head between his legs.

Varrick's hands wrought into her hair as soon as her lips even touched him, kissing his tip as if to greet little Varrick. Not that little was a word she would use to describe it. Zhu Li had a rather extensive technical knowledge about the art of lovemaking from her reading, though she had never experienced the empirical aspect of the thing until now, but from what she had gathered, she estimated that Varrick was a very well endowed man. She couldn't shake off the feeling that it would probably hurt a lot to have something that big inside her, but she'd cross that bridge when she'd get to it.

"Tell me what you want," she said and gave a tentative lick.

"Mmh… I think it's… ugh… very obvious, really."

Her tongue traced circles on the sensitive skin and Varrick hissed.

"Dang it, woman! That feels amazing…"

Truth be told, Zhu Li loved hearing him say it. Wasn't it what she had always wanted, after all? Some appreciation?

"Can you just do the thing already!"

She took him in her mouth, although she managed no more than just the tip, and tried to get used to the feeling. At least that was the goal. She was so new to it all that it felt a little weird, but it was definitely _something_. She could feel his blood pulsing through that very special part of him, encouraging her, and his hands were a sure reminder of his need for her as they sunk deeper in her hair, almost too tight.

"Tell me how you like it," she tried to say but really, it was hard to speak with him in her mouth and all that came out was a muffled mumble.

"Spirits, it's hot when you speak with my cock in your mouth…"

It was hot, on that, they could agree. Zhu Li was feeling warm and fuzzy, and aroused to no end. She kept one hand tightly wrapped around him to keep his _thing_ in place, but explored his torso with the other. His skin was hot to the touch, his stomach tense and hard against her fingers. He was holding back. That would need to change. She tried sucking on him, bobbing her head up and down, and he relaxed a little bit.

"This feels so good, Zhu Li…"

One of his hands dropped her hair and ran down her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb in a tender gesture. She looked up at him and they shared a very intimate eye contact as long as they could before his eyes fluttered shut when she moved her tongue a certain way against him. She liked seeing him lose a bit of control. He had had too much control over her for a lifetime anyway.

"I love you. I love what you're… ugh… doing to me."

Little by little, she brought him closer and closer to his turning point, loosened the tension under her fingers, got him to let go. She glanced at him from time to time and had to admit that he looked positively gorgeous from that angle. He was biting his lip and his eyes opened, closed, opened, closed, not quite looking at her. What she was doing was having a clear effect on him and she liked that. A lot. She knew, or at least thought, that he would come undone very soon. She wanted him to. She wanted to know that she had at least that much power over him.

"Zhu Li…"

She popped him out of her mouth.

"Look me in the eyes."

She wanted to see his eyes the moment he tipped over the point of no return. She squeezed his tip with her hand until he looked right at her and it felt as if she was watching a completely new man as the one she had worked with for so long. This man was overwhelmed, restrained, almost shy. His blue eyes slowly focused on her, veiled with desire. The difference was so uncanny she was taken aback.

"You'd better never treat me like you did before ever again, Varrick," she said and stroked him lightly, just enough to keep him on the edge.

"Mmh… I won't…"

"One misstep and I'm leaving for good."

"I… Never again. I love you."

She took him back in her mouth as far as she could, sucking on him and cupping the rest of him with her hand, and just like that, he was a goner. His back arched, his mouth gaped in a silent shout and a salty taste filled her mouth. It took him a few moments for his body to lower back on the bed and his fists to unclench from the sheets. She swallowed, licking her lips, and took a good look at him. He was still lying on the bed, all his limbs spread and his chest heaving with his fast breath. She smiled despite herself, proud of her doing.

He said nothing for a full minute, before looking at her with a loving expression.

"Where did you ever learn to do that?"

"I read books."

"It was absolutely fantastic! You never cease to amaze me, Zhu Li."

"Thanks," she said and nestled against his chest.

"Just give me a minute and I'll repay you that in full."

She could hear the drum of his heart inside his chest and loved him for that, for being so affected by her.

"I hope that made you relax. You were very tense, you know."

"I was _trying_ to last longer because it felt so good and I didn't want it to be over, but you were damn too good!"

"Mmh, you're a flatterer."

"What can I say? I admire your skills."

"Can't say I complain."

Little by little, his heartbeat came back to normal.

"Varrick?"

"Yes, my sweet?"

"Is it my turn yet?"

He turned his face to look at her and gave her one of his best Varrick smiles.

"Thought you'd never ask."

In the next heartbeat he was straddling her, kissing her, and there was nothing left to do but give herself to him.


End file.
